Meters for heating in an apartment: classification of metering devices and rules for their installation

In Russia, the law on energy conservation has been adopted. The document obliges all owners to install metering devices in their homes. Monitoring the consumption of water, gas and electricity has long been a habit among most apartment owners. Many mistakenly considered heat to be an undetectable factor, so heating meters for them have become a real novelty. How to install a device that has become mandatory for everyone? Let's get it right.

Options for installing metering devices

The benefits of installing metering devices are obvious. The homeowner will pay only for the heat received, without forking out to pay for the losses during its transportation. To maximize the savings, you should remove all sources of possible heat loss in the house: mount sealed window frames, insulate the room, etc. There are two options for installing the counter.

Method # 1 - a common house counter

Residents of high-rise buildings can solve the heat metering problem by installing a common metering device. These, by the way, are the most inexpensive option. After all, the price of a heat meter, which is not cheap, and its installation will be "scattered" on the owners of several apartments. The amount obtained as a result will be quite acceptable. The readings of such a device are taken once a month. Payments are distributed to each apartment in accordance with its area. Moreover, if the service provider dishonestly fulfills its part of the contract and does not provide the agreed temperature in the house, it will be obliged to return the money paid to the residents.

Begin by holding a general house meeting of apartment owners. It is necessary to discuss all the nuances of the upcoming installation and determine who will take the meter readings and issue receipts for payment. The decision of the meeting must be recorded in the protocol, after which you can contact the management company with a written statement about connecting the device.

The most inexpensive way to register heat in an arrangement is a common house meter. However, for a number of reasons the economic effect of it can not wait

Method # 2 - individual measuring instruments

The main advantage of a common building device is its cheapness. However, the economic effect of its use can be much lower than expected. And there are many reasons for this. For example, insufficiently insulated entrances or apartments of neighbors, as a result of which heat losses turn out to be prohibitive. Therefore, many choose individual meters for heating, which are installed directly in the apartment. This is a more expensive but very effective option.

Distributors are installed on each radiator in the apartment. For a month, they record the temperature of the batteries, tracking the slightest drops. Based on this information, the heat charge is calculated

Before planning the installation of an individual metering device, you should familiarize yourself with some technical limitations. The heat meter is mounted on a riser leading to the apartment. In old multi-unit buildings, vertical piping of heating pipes was most often performed. This means that there can be several risers in the apartment, each of which requires the installation of a device, which is extremely disadvantageous. The solution to the problem could be the installation of special meters on heating radiators, but such equipment is not used in our country, although this is a common practice in European countries.

Manufacturers of metering devices suggest installing so-called distributors in houses with vertical wiring, which measure the flow rate of the coolant based on the temperature difference on the surface of the battery and in the air in the room. Another solution to the problem is a common house meter. In buildings with horizontal wiring, installing any heating meters in the apartment is not complicated. Compact models of devices are mounted on a pipe supplying coolant to a room or, in some cases, to a return pipe.

Instrument Classification

Heat meters work with various types of flow meters. Depending on operating conditions, you can choose from four options.

Mechanical devices

Relate to the simplest counters. They can be screw, turbine or vane. The principle of operation of the device is based on the conversion of the translational motion of the coolant into the movement of the measuring element. The most affordable equipment. It cannot be used if hard water is chosen as the heat carrier or if particles of rust, scale or scale are present in it. They clog the mechanical parts of the device, so it is recommended to install special filters in front of it. In addition, mechanical devices do not tolerate sharp fluctuations in flow.

Mechanical heat meters are considered the simplest measuring instruments. However, they are very sensitive to the quality of the coolant, become clogged rather quickly and fail

Electromagnetic equipment

Electromagnetic meters for heating in an apartment in their work use the factor of the appearance of electric current during the passage of liquid in a magnetic field. Devices possess rather high metrological stability and are successfully operated. Inaccuracy of devices increases with the appearance of impurities in water and poor-quality connection of wires during installation.

Vortex counters

The equipment evaluates the vortices generated behind the obstacle located on the path of the coolant. It can be installed on both vertical and horizontal pipelines. Devices are sensitive to the presence of air in the system, the quality of welding and impurities in the water. For their functioning, it is necessary to install a magnetic mesh filter. Deposits in pipes do not interfere with their work. Devices are exacting to the sizes of straight sections of the pipeline before and behind the flowmeter.

Ultrasonic devices

Measure the time that the fluid travels from the source to the signal receiver. Devices are divided into Doppler, frequency, temporal and correlation. In any case, the equipment works flawlessly, taking measurements in a homogeneous clean liquid without impurities of sediment or scale. Distortions of the readings occur when air bubbles, scale or scale appear in the coolant. The most durable and reliable option.

Like any measuring device, the meter must have a certificate and a passport. The documents must indicate information about the initial verification, which is carried out by the manufacturer. The same information should be applied to the meter case in the form of a special brand or sticker. During operation, the devices must also undergo regular calibration.The timing of its implementation depends on the model of the device. On average, an event is held every four years.

Compact ultrasound models designed for installation in an apartment are highly accurate, reliable and have a long service life.

The procedure for installing and connecting meters

Installation of the meter and its connection can only be carried out by an organization that has a package of permits for such services. Her experts are gradually carrying out the following work:

• perform a connection project;
• coordinate the document in the organization providing heat supply;
• install the meter;
• register equipment;
• hand over the device to operation and transfer it to the supervisory authority.

Meters - a good assistant to the homeowner, helping to use the money efficiently. Anyone who does not want to pay for losses during the transportation of heat and cold batteries needs to deal with the installation of a meter for heating. Moreover, it is not so difficult. The main thing is to determine for yourself, connect an individual or common house device and delegate all other chores to professionals.